Page 30 of Devil's Own: Roughneck

“Can see it.”

“My stuff is back in Florida.”

“I know that. Making plans to move you here, but that’s not it.”

“Maybe Idon’tlove being here.”

“Liar.” He laughs, and the smooth rumble moves all the way through me. “Spill.”

I sigh. “A couple of things. I’m worried about those Death Bringers—”

He cuts me off. “You don’t worry about that. I’ll keep you safe.”

“You misunderstand me. I’m not worried about them for me…” I watch my hands as I smooth them over his collarbone, enjoying the feel of his soft skin against my palms. “I’m worried about them for you. For Daniel… And for my son.”

“Waite isn’t involved.”

“He will be if you get my brother to let him prospect.”

His body goes tight. “Youwanthim prospecting with the club?”

“I know my boy. He wants to. He wouldn’t be hanging around the club if he didn’t. Since I’m not leaving you anytime soon, the safest place for my boy is where my brother and my man can look out for him. He’s strong. He’s brave. He’s loyal. The club could do worse, you know?”

“I do know. Vlad’s been the only holdup. We’ve all put in a word for him and Damien.”

“Well, will you be there with me when I talk to him about it?”

“Baby, I don’t want to miss that. A woman talking to him about his club?”

“He’s worried about what I think. He doesn’t want to lose us from his life again. I promise I’m not storming the castle shouting a battle cry of ‘let my boy in’!”

Rough laughs.

“I just want to let him know I’d feel better if he’d let my boy prospect. Waite has a taste of the life now. I’d feel better if he joined that life; he has you and my brother at his back.”

“We’ll talk to him.”

That over, I move around Rough to pull the casserole from the oven—time to feed my man.

We putter around the house for the majority of the day. He helps me clean, and then we watch a couple of classic shoot-’em-ups with lots of blood, gore, and action. How that man gets me to mess around a bit more after what we just watched says everything about the power of Roughneck—the man is insatiable. Not a hardship.

It’s after dinner now. We’re waiting for my brother to show up to his office at the clubhouse. We have two items on the agenda. First, Rough wants to figure out a plan to move me up here officially, which means packing me up and caravanning my stuff to Middlesboro. With the Death Bringers so close to where I lived, he doesn’t want me going back alone. The second item is obviously talking to him about Waite.

My brother strides in wearing a blank face as if he’s unsure what to think about Rough and me asking for this meeting. “Rough,” he says. “Sis.”

I stand from the chair to hug him. “How’s that nephew of mine?”

“Watching some stupid cartoon with his mom. He’s six months old and she’s already showing him stupid cartoons, is how he is.” Daniel tries to sound stern and affected, but I know he loves it. “What did you need?” He walks around our chairs to sit behind his desk.

“Need to move Gee up here,” Rough says.

“Agreed,” my brother replies.

“I don’t want her down there by herself. Not with the Death Bringers making moves against us. That means I need men to help me move her.”

“Had to pick Florida,” he mumbles. “Had to move near our mortal enemies. Couldn’t have picked Iowa—lived around farmers.”

“Daniel,” I say his name placatingly. “I’ve been in Florida for years. Until I took the job at the bar, I didn’t even know the Death Bringers existed, let alone know my little brother was their rival club’s president. This one’snoton me.”

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